Hi Rick,
I have a little play in mine, too. As you said, I installed it exactly as prescribed. It does not seem to be any consequence. I do not notice it at all while flying. The rest of the control system did not induce anymore play that I could tell. It really annoyed me when I first discovered it. I then isolated the play to the bushings in the sticks. Again, it does not seem to affect controllability and I doubt it will get worse.
Slinger, eh. If you would like to check out my 7A, We are on AirTroy Estates, just south of Mukwonago, two miles east of East Troy (57C).
Roberta